NONE
Research and development of this invention and Application have not been federally sponsored, and no rights are given under any Federal program.
NOT APPLICABLE
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to manual and computerized machine operations utilizing vises in cutting, planing and drilling, for example, and to an improvement in construction to allow their jaws to be removed, modified, replaced, and reversed in alignment, in enhancing the various machine operations required.
2. Description of the Related Art
As is well known and understood, one requirement of a visexe2x80x94especially when secured to a table or workbenchxe2x80x94is that it be strong, firmly mounted, and accurate in the meeting of the jaws. For multiple duty needs, moreover, vises affording a variety of holding surfaces and positions lend themselves best for use. When employed in manufacturing operations, furthermore, the vise must be very accurate, regardless of the size of the piece being machined and regardless of its shape. Experience has shown that those vises presently available leave much to be desired as far as ease and reliability of set up operations are concerned.
As will become clear from the following description, the present invention proceeds from the development of a reversible jaw for a vise employing various plates, stop bars, location pins, parallels, depth gauges, pressure blocks and other accessories which can be easily coupled with the reversible jaw through the use of quick release screws. Rather than employing the commonly found flat machine jaws of these types of vises, a removable, reversible jaw is utilized which provides versatility of positioning for a variety of uses.
In accordance with the invention, such removable, reversible jaw includes a plurality of horizontally aligned rows of apertures through the jaw vertically displaced one row from another by predetermined amounts, and with the apertures of each row predeterminedly spaced one aperture from another and from the opposing side edges of the jaw. A first plurality of cut-outs of predetermined width with predetermined spacing between adjacent cut-outs is used, measured with respect to the side edges. With the first plurality of cut-outs extending downwardly a predetermined amount from the top edge of the jaw and extending rearwardly a predetermined amount from a front edge thereof, the basic construction of the removable jaw is completed. Such construction can be enhanced, however, by the inclusion of a second plurality of cut-outs of predetermined width and predetermined spacing between adjacent cut-outs, measured with respect to the side edges as well, with the second plurality of cut-outs extending downwardly a predetermined amount from the top edge of the jaw and extending forwardly a predetermined amount from a rear edge thereof. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the cut-outs of each plurality are of equal side-to-side width, and are equally spaced one from another, as well as being of equal depth front-to-back. To further extend the usefulness of the removable, reversible jaw, the cut-outs of the first plurality are offset with respect to the cut-outs of the second plurality by one half the width of the cut-outs. To provide a series of steps upon which a. workpiece may rest, the front-to-back depth of the bottom surface of the reversible jaw is greater than the front-to-back depth of its top surface.
As will also become clear from the following description, the apertures of the plurality of rows are sized to accept various pins used to hold the parts to be machined at precise locations, and to facilitate the location of the jaws with respect to the movable bed of the vise itself. The number of apertures, their horizontal spacings, their vertical spacings, and their positionings will be seen to allow various numbers of accessories to be secured to the jaws in setting up a variety of machine operations, all with a very high degree of precision. By selecting predetermined dimensions for the apertures and their locations, for the cut-outs and their locations, and for the supports for the pieces being worked upon, a machinist just has to count-positions in order to set up the precise point where the operation is to start.